Yoon Gang-jun, Chief Director of Gangnam Bedro Hospital
Medical Staff Learning Surgical Techniques
Purchasing Endoscopic Equipment and More
"I am proud to have become a 'patriot' as the technology transfer, which started to promote the excellence of our country's medical care worldwide, has led to the export of domestically produced medical devices."
Gangnam Bedro Hospital, which first opened its doors as a neurosurgery clinic in 1992, has continuously grown for over 30 years by focusing on treating spinal and joint diseases as well as brain cardiovascular conditions, stroke, thyroid, and prostate issues. At the center of this growth is Yoon Kang-jun, the Chief Director of Gangnam Bedro Hospital (63). Director Yoon is known as a master of artificial disc replacement surgery. His particularly outstanding field is bi-directional spinal endoscopic surgery. This method uses an endoscope to make minimal incisions and carefully examine every corner of the nerves during surgery, allowing precise identification of lesions. It has the advantage of being less burdensome and enabling faster recovery for elderly patients, those with underlying conditions, and patients with recurrent issues. Having restored the spinal health of over 5,000 patients to date, Director Yoon still spends entire days in the operating room well past his sixtieth birthday. When asked to describe himself in one word, Yoon replied, "A doctor who loves surgery."
Recently, Director Yoon has opened his eyes to a new field. He himself said, "I am experiencing a second surgical life." This began in May last year when Gangnam Bedro Hospital opened the 'International Spine Specialist Training Center.' The goal was to transfer the latest surgical techniques and know-how to medical professionals from various countries who want to learn Korea’s medical expertise, especially the endoscopic surgeries in which Korea stands out globally. Director Yoon explained the background of the establishment: “While global endoscopic companies abroad did not think to apply their technology to spinal surgery, Korean doctors and companies developed and upgraded equipment, achieving significant progress. Naturally, foreign doctors came to learn in Korea, and I thought it was time to create a specialized training center.”
To the specialists from around the world who made the difficult journey to Korea, Director Yoon generously shared his know-how. He provided ‘Spartan-style’ training through a rigorous program. The aim was to enhance their skills so they could immediately apply the surgical techniques learned upon returning to their home countries. Yoon said, “The determination of those coming from places like South Africa and Mexico, which took 20 hours to reach Korea, was remarkable. They came solely for this purpose.” He added, “For those coming from afar, I carefully explained everything one by one until late at night.” Thanks to Director Yoon’s efforts, over 40 medical professionals from more than 10 countries including Singapore, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Egypt have learned his know-how.
Medical professionals who learned ‘K-Medicine’ in this way began to seek out and use Korean-made medical devices in their home countries. Yoon’s disciples purchased the domestic endoscopic devices he used. The number of domestically produced endoscopic devices exported to overseas medical professionals reached 55 units, amounting to 4 million USD (approximately 5.1 billion KRW). This was all achieved within just one year of opening the training center. Yoon smiled and said, “It was an unexpected achievement,” adding, “I take pride in having become an export worker and a patriot.” Regarding the reason for the export success of endoscopes, he said, “Our domestic equipment companies make excellent devices, and overseas doctors have opened their eyes through education.”
Furthermore, Director Yoon has filed a patent for an artificial disc tailored to the body type of Asians and is in the final stages of enhancing its quality. He explained, “Unlike Europeans, Koreans have a smaller build with a wider side-to-side body shape. We have developed an artificial disc suited to our body type and have proceeded to the prototype stage.” He added, “Endoscopy has advanced a lot, but artificial discs will soon follow as another ‘K-Medical Device’ export.”
Gangnam Bedro Hospital also achieved the double celebration of being promoted to a general hospital this year. This reflects their determination to grow into a hospital with solid medical capabilities as their foundation. Director Yoon said, “Becoming a general hospital allows us to conduct clinical research and publish papers,” adding, “For a hospital to develop, academic support is essential. It is very encouraging that this is now possible.”
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